Collapsible paper box.



No. 756,311. PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

P. R. ADAMS.

COLLAPSIBLE PAPER BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR.

I 11 BY UM I 7 ATTORNEY.

ms "cams vz'rzns cu PNOVJ-LIHKL WASHINGTON. n. c,

UNTTED STATES Patented April 5, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

COLLAPSIBLE PAPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,311, dated April 5,1904.

Application filed August 20, 1902. Serial No. 120,273. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK R. ADAMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco. in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Collapsible Paper Boxes,of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in collapsible paper boxes, theobject of my invention being to provide a paper box having the bottommade of a single piece secured on all four sides to the four lower edgesof the sides of the box and which can be collapsed or expanded, asdesired.

In prior forms of collapsible boxes, so far as I am aware, it has beenthe practice to secure the bottom to the sides of the box looselyvide abox which will enable this to be done.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination,and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of myimproved paper box expanded for use. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the boxcollapsed. Fig. 3 is a similar enlarged view of the bottom of the boxdetached and folded. Fig. 4. is a similar further-enlarged view showingthe cut in the bottom of the box at the apex between converging creases.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the body of the box, whichcomprises four rec tangular sides, and 2 represents the bottom of thebox. Said bottom is secured to the sides of the body by means of flanges3, bent upwardly from said bottom and secured on the inner sides of thelower edges of the body of of the box, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Ofthe sides of the box two opposite sides 4 are longer than the other twoopposite sides 5, and in collapsing the box the longer sides 4. movewith a parallel movement towardeach other, while the shorter sides 5 arecollapsed by being folded along vertical creases 6 in the middle of saidshorter sides.

At the same time that the sides are collapsed in the above manner thebottom 2 of the box is also collapsed in the following manner: Obliquecreases 7 are formed, as shown, by scoring the bottom of the box, thetwo oblique creases 7, which run from one of the shorter ends 5,converging to a point 8 on the near side of the center of the bottom ofthe box, while the other oblique creases 7 from the other short endconverge to a point 8, similarly situated with respect to said othershort end. Between these two points 8 is formed a crease 9, and fromsaid points 8 to the lower ends of the creases 6 are also formed creases10. All of these creases are formed by scoring the bottom and body ofthe box, so as to facilitate bending or folding along the creases.

The bottom of the box having been suitably prepared in the above manner,when the bottom is collapsed it is folded from the corners inward alongthe oblique creases 7, the crease 9 in the middle rising and the sidesof the bottom folding down from said crease 9, while at the same timethe triangular portions 11 at the ends of the bottom fold inwardly andupwardly along the creases 10.

At the points 8. which form the apices of the oblique folds 7 and whichare the juncture of the creases 9 and 10, are formed cuts in the bottomof the box. The preferred form of these cuts is that of an angular slit,as shown; but the cut may also be in the form of a round or otherwiseshaped hole. It will have been understood that the folds on the creases9 and 10, which are in line with each other, are in the reversedirection. There is therefore a tendency for the folding along the twocreases to interfere with each other at the point where they join or forone crease to run into the other. This tendency is prevented by makingthe cut at the point 8 of the juncture, this cut preventing extension ofeither crease beyond its own limit.

It will be understood that the bottom may be attached to the sides ofthe box by means of flanges extending from said sides instead of flangesextending from the bottom, as shown, and various other changes andmodifications may be made in the construction of said box withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

1 claim- 1. A box comprising rectangular sides in combination with abottom secured to said sides and folding along creases extendingobliquely from the corners of the bottom toward the middle portion ofthe bottom and also folding downward or outward from a centrallongitudinal crease and upward or inward from terminal longitudinalcreases in line with the central crease, said bottom being providedupward or inward from the other crease, said portion having a outbetween and separating the two creases to prevent one crease spreadinginto the other, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

F. R. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, BESSIE GORFINKEL.

